


Borrowing Without Permission

by sanctum_c



Series: Aeris and Cloud Take to the Skies Week 2017 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Breaking and Entering, F/M, Kleptomania, Theft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:08:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27198979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Aeris has a flying vehicle problem.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife
Series: Aeris and Cloud Take to the Skies Week 2017 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985575
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Borrowing Without Permission

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'Flight'

For reasons best known to herself, Tifa waited until the middle of the mission to ask what was - in retrospect - a tremendously pertinent question. "Do you think you might have a problem?" she asked in a low voice.

Aeris paused, wirecutters poised on the next link in the fence and turned to face her in the gloom. "What do you mean?" she replied in the same moment she squeezed the device and snipped the metal clean in two.

"This," Tifa said and gestured at the fence. The arc of her arm suggested her question encompassed everything; the chain-link fence, the wirecutters, perhaps even the Junon runway and maybe the waiting Gelnikas. "If we get away with this-"

"We will," Aeris grinned as she snipped another link.

"If," Tifa emphasised the word. "If we get away with this, this will be the second-"

"Third," Cloud chimed in on Aeris's other side. He held the cut away section of fence and tugged it higher as she cut each link.

"Right. Third aircraft you have stolen," Tifa said stressing the integer. She sighed.

"I'm not stealing them." Aeris ignored Tifa's indignant look to focus on the fence and cut another link. "I'm just-" There had to be a better way of describing the situation, some way of not making it sound so much like a crime. "Borrowing without permission." The glance over her shoulder was at the right moment to catch the eye-roll from Tifa. Oh well. That excuse had been rather a long shot. "Plus, only two of the previous ones were from Shinra."

"Oh, that makes it so much better." Tifa fell silent for a moment. "You really should give Cid the Tiny Bronco back if this works." Aeris had effectively won it seemed; Tifa was rationalizing their situation. And despite the topic of conversation, she was taking her duty as look-out seriously. Once again she squinted in the dim light for any threats in the vicinity.

A fair point from her all the same. It was not as if Aeris could fly all three aircraft at once. "I might." Another click and finally the hole was wide enough. Cloud helped her pull the section of fence back far enough to let the three of them through. First stage complete; they were inside the base perimeter. "But depends on how easy it is to find somewhere to take off and land the Gelnika. At least the Tiny Bronco can do VTOL." Getting Cid to teach her how to fly in Rocket Town had opened up so many opportunities. If there had been more time she might have impressed upon him to teach her the basics of the Shinra-26's control systems. Tifa's question still bugged her a little. "All things considered I really don't think I do have a problem."

Tifa eyed her for a moment. "You are quite definitely a kleptomaniac." She held a stern expression long enough that Aeris opened her mouth to protest; Tifa grinned at her a second later. "I suppose I shouldn't complain though. This is kinda fun."

"And its not as if Shinra are the nicest people," Aeris added with a nod.

"But this is still risky," Cloud noted. Back in guard uniform for him. Not the best disguise but hopefully sufficient enough to avoid a second look from anyone who managed to spot them while they made their way to the planes. Should be unnecessary; as per the plan, the Junon power system would blow in a little over ten minutes. A little trick courtesy of an unusual arrangement of both Time and Fire materia near the exposed transformers. The resulting chaos should give them all the cover they would need to grab the nearest prepped Gelnika and be out of radar range before Shinra knew anything was amiss. "At least we're not going after one of the subs-" Cloud clapped his hand over his mouth. Too late.

"There are submarines here?" Aeris could not fight back a grin as her eyes widened. Travelling underwater was a whole other adventure she had not even considered before.

"Yeah." Cloud said with a wince.

"You do love me right?" She asked taking a step closer to him and batted her eyelids.

"I do." He glanced towards the Gelnikas. " But can we maybe steal this one before worrying about it?" Cloud looked hopeful.

Aeris pursed her lips and met his gaze. "I suppose so." She let out an exaggerated sigh and threw her arms around his shoulders. Their lips met; a second later Tifa interrupted their embrace with a polite cough. "Sorry!" Aeris whirled around to face their target. "Let's do this!"


End file.
